Shoe-filler.



E. R. TAYLOR;

SHOE FILLER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6, 1907.

944, 1 12. Patented Dec. 21,1909.

UNTTED STATES PATENT @FETCH EDRIC R. TAYLOR, 0F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SHOE-FILLER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Ennio R. TAYLOR, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Shoe-Fillers, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specication, like numerals on the drawings representing` like parts.

My invention is intended to apply to that class of devices for holding the shape of a shoe, which includes tree reet, shoe forms, shoe fillers, etc., and is intended to apply to practically all kinds of shoes, including niens, womens, boys, youths, little gentsl, misses, and childrens.

Many devices for holding a shoe to its proper shape have been invented and pi'oposed, and mine differs therefrom mainly in being to all intents and purposes invisible, this result being the primary object of the invention, as it enables the shoe dealer to display his shoes in such a manner as to show the heel stamp in the inside bottom of the heel of the shoe, and to display the fancy quarter lining, facing embellishments, and, in fact, all the interior heel construction, without diverting the attention of the observer to the filler or shoe form itself. The importance of leaving the interior of the heel entirely disclosed is so great that many of the liighest-priced shoe stores and dealers in the finest grades of footwear, leave out the shoe forms altogether, thereby ruiming the risk of damaging or spoiling the shoe if so placed in the show window as to cause it to wrinkle. The best kinds, and, in fact, all fancy shoes, have considerable expense devoted to the back portion of the interior of the shoe, including fancy leathers, silk linings, einbroideries, and various kinds of costly embellishments, all of which are more or less concealed by shoe forms or fillers which occupy the heel; so that I consider one of the leading features of my invention the provision of practically invisible means for maintaining the lieelpart of the shoel open and in proper position.

Also, another feature of my invention resides in bringing the forming portion of the shoe filler into holding engagement with the extreme top of the quarter, thereby holding the top of the back side and upper edge of the foxing pulled out smooth along its upper edge.

Specieaton of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 6, 1907.

Patented Dec. 21, 1909.

Serial No. 382,451.

The chief part of my invention may be manufactured and sold as an attachment to be applied to foreparts of varying construction.

In the drawings Figure l represents in top plan a shoe containing my invention; Fig. 2 shows the shoe filler in side elevation, a shoe being represented in dotted lines as containing said filler; Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the liller removed from the shoe; Fig. 4L shows the attachment in top plan, Fig. 5 is a view thereof in side elevation; Fig. G an enlarged fragmentary detail iii top plan; and Fig. 7 is a view in side elevation illustrating the various positions assumed by the attachment.

Viewing Figs. 2-6, it Will be seen that my attachment consists of a thin and preferably narrow band l, which may be foi'med of any desirable material, but is preferably formed of spring steel bent into a loop or U-shape, approximately the size of the heel of the shoe, and secured at its ends to a transverse plate or bar 2, on which it is free to turn, said bar 2 having suitable securing means for connecting it to a forepart 3. The forepart herein shown is a light wooden forepart, having a rearwardly extending ledge '-Lt just above the shank of the shoe, and an upwardly extending instep portion or tongue support 5. The thin band l presses firmly against the inside of the heel portion of the shoe, which it pulls out straight, and holds taut and smooth over the quarter or foxing, thereby being itself practically invisible when looking straight down into the shoe, as, for instance, when displayed in a show window. This leaves the highly finished and embellished interior of the shoe visible, so as to display the trademark or manufacturers brand, stamp, or insignia. This is a point which is considered in the trade of great advantage, but, as it is equally important to hold the edge of the shoe, above the counter, out smoothly and iirmly, a solid heel-part has been usually employed heretofore, more or less ornamental in character, and has itself been used to display the trademark, with tlie result that not only has the interior of the heel-part of the shoe been covered from view,.but the conspicuous character of the filler has served to attract the attentioiil of the observer away from the shoe, thereby defeating one of the main purposes of the filler.

By my invention I secure all the shoe filler llO display advantages of having the shoe ostensibly empty or unoccupied. The flexible; nature of the leather at the extreme upperV edge of the counter causes it to curl or bend inwardly very slightly under the stretching strain of the thin metal band 1', which presses against the leather just below said edge, thereby cooperating with the thin nature of the part Y1 in practically concealing or hiding from view the band 1. The result is that although the heel-part of the shoe is maintained perfectly smooth and properly rounded out, it yet seems to be entirely unsupported. The usual expedient resorted to by the shoe trade to accomplish this result has been to permit the shoe, when being made, to dry on the last so that it will tend to retain its shape. This is not only expensive, but, even though the shoe is handled with the utmost care, it is necessarily unsatisfactory, as the tongue will not stay up, the fastening necessarily breaks down the shape more or less, there isnothing to tie over or button over, etc. Bymy invention, however, the forepart of the shoe may be filled entirely or partially as preferred, such form or shape of toe part being employed as the individual manufacturer may prefer, and the heel portion of the shoe is supported by the spring bandV 1 of the filler, which presses straight back on the top of the back stay, and along,ror just beneath, the upper edge of the foxing or top ofthe quarter, thereby keeping the flexible portion of the latter taut andsmooth with relation to the stiffer counter of the shoe.v

Further constructional features and advantages of my invention reside in certain details'. As the forepart 8 is usually made of soft, light wood, I strike down from the flat metal bar 2,0pposite holding prongs 6 adjacent the opposite ends of the bar, which may be readily pushed or driven into the soft wood for holding the bar laterally in place, and the bar is secured by a central screw 7 passing through an opening 8 in the bar. This construction facilitates the quick securing ofthe attachment, and is at the same time simple and inexpensive. The opposite ends of thev bar are cut away to provide a neck.9 and a head 10 for pivotally retaining the ends of the band 1. In order to cause the band 1 to bulge slightly or bend outwardly and hug against the inside of the lining of the heel-part of the shoe, I preferably provide obliquely, extending shoulders 11, 12 which cooperate with the head 10 in deflecting the band 1, so that it tends to bow outwardly, especially when it is turned down into its approximately horizontal position.

As different shoes of the same size vary inevitably slightly in measurement along the lines or direction occupied by the band 1 when in use, I provide means for adjusting the., band to the slight extent desirable on this account, and at the same time I provide a connection between the band 1 and the bar 2, which, while permitting them to be readily put together before attachment to 'the forepart, prevents their being thereafter sep- 'aratedi Viewing Figs. 5 and 7 it will be seen that the band 1 has av'slot'13 vand a slot 14 parallel thereto connected at their lower ends by a curved part- 15, said parts being so shaped and arranged, as shown, with relation to the neck 9 and head 10 that the end' of thev band 1 can only be placed over the head 10 by swinging the band forward to its dotted position 16, said position, however, beingyimpossible when the bar 2 has-been secured to the forepart. Accordingly, the band 1 and bar 2 are. assembled in operative position with-relation to each other before they'are put in position on the forepart 3. They are then secured in place, and thereafter the band 1 can only swing from the upright position in full lines, Fig. v7, to the horizontal position in dotted lines F ig. 7, corresponding to the position shown in Fig. 2. The slot 13 is close to the edge or end 17 of the band so as to require only a very slight cut or slit 18 in the wood of the forepart to -permit of the necessary` turning, movement;

As already intimated, myv invention may have numerous variations of embodiment within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A shoe filler, comprising a forepart, and a heel-part consisting of a thin band shaped to extend within the heel portion of the shoe vflat against the lining thereof at theY upper edge of the foxing, leaving the in terior portion of the heelpart of the shoe entirelyv exposed to view, means holding the front ends of saidlband unyieldingly at a fixed distance apart, said band being at all other points capable of yielding laterally, said band having a width, thickness, and extent maintaining it practically concealed from casual observation when in the shoe.

2. A shoe filler, comprising a forepart, and a heel-part secured to the rear end of the forepart, said heel-part consisting of a thin band shaped to extend within the heel portion of the' shoe flat against the lining thereof at the upper edge ofthe foxing so as to be concealed from View by the shoe when stretched taut by said band, the interior portion of the heelvpartV of the shoe being thereby lefti exposed to View, and fastening means pivotally securing'the opposite ends of said band in rigid position apart, the rear part of said band from adjacent its pivzots constituting a distending: portion and being shaped to lit tightly against the lining of the shoe from a point adjacent the pivot on one side throughout the length or' the band to the corresponding point on the opposite side of the heel-part, said band at all other points excepting its pivotal points ing capable orn yielding laterally, and having a width, thickness, and extent maintaining it practically concealed from casual observation when in the shoe.

3. The herein described shoe filler attachment, including a thin narrow iexible band shaped to lit and distend the heel of a shoe around the top of the quarter, and a cross bar provided at its end with reduced retaining portions cooperating with the ends of said band in pivotally supporting the latter.

4f. The herein described shoe filler attachment, comprising a flexible band and a cross bar provided at their ends with cooperating means for pivoting said band on the bar and compelling the band to bow outwardly and rearwardly beyond the ends of the bar.

The herein described shoe iller attachment, comprising a iiexible band and a cross bar provided at their ends with cooperating means for pivoting said band on the bar, said cooperating means being constructed to permit the separation and assembling of said two parts only when the band is swung to an extreme and abnormal position with relation to the bar.

6. The herein described shoe filler attachment, including a thin narrow flexible band shaped to lit and distend the heel of a shoe around the top of the quarter, and means for pivotally supporting its free ends adjacent the opposite sides of the shank, said supporting means and band being provided with cooperating means for permitting the lengthening the rearward distending portion of the band. A

7. The herein described shoe filler attachment, comprising a iiexible band having a rearward distending portion and a cross bar provided at their ends with coperating means for pivoting said band on the bar, said cooperating means being constructed to permit the separation and assembling of said two parts only when the band is swung to an extreme and abnormal position with relation to the bar in use, said band and bar containing means for permitting the increase and decrease of the etlective extent of the rearward distending portion of the flexible band with relation to the bar when in normal position.

ln testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDRIO R. TAYLOR.

Vitnesses M. J. SPALDING, GEO. H. MAXWELL. 

